Pedal-guard for motor-cars and other vehicles.



A. J. LAST.

PEDAL GUARD FOR MOTOR (JARS AND OTHER VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, 1908.

' 91 3,406. Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIQE.

ARTHUR JOHN LAST, OF DOVERCOURT, ENGLAND.

PEDAL-GUARD FOR MOTOR-CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Serial No. 415,776.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR JOHN LAST, a subject of the King of England,residing at Marine View, Cliff Road, Dovercourt, in the county of Essex,England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in andRelating to Pedal- Guards for Motor- Cars and other Vehicles; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention refers to a guard or screen for motor cars and othervehicles.

As is well known to drivers of self-propelled vehicles, considerabletrouble and discomfort are occasioned in the use of an apron, rug or thelike, in consequence of the liability of the apron or the like foulingthe pedals etc., thus making it diflicult to properly protect the feetof the driver or passenger in front.

My invention has for its object the construction of a cheap andeflicient guard, with which an apron can be used with ease and comfort,and without the chance of its fouling the pedals, etc.

According to my invention, I make a screen, composed of a plate or frameof any suitable material, and so attach the same to the foot-board,floor, dashboard, or other suitable part of the vehicle, that thescreen, which is preferably curved, inclines upwards, say, over thepedals, and enables the apron or rug to be supported so that there is nochance of its fouling the pedals etc. while the legs of the driver orpassenger are well protected from rain, dust, wind etc.

In one particular way of constructing my screen or guard, I form it froma suitably curved frame or plate, which is secured along the lower edgeto a tube or rod. The ends of this rod or tube extend beyond the frameor plate and fit removably into bearings, brackets or the like, attachedto a suitable part of the vehicle; so that when in position the frame orplate extends over the pedals. The plate is kept in an upright positionby means of a lever adjustably attached at one end to any suitable partof the rod or tube, such lever being preferably adjusted by means of aset screw or clamping screw and bearing at the other end on the floor orother suitable part of the vehicle, thus keeping the guard in therequired osition.

Various mo 'fications may be made in my guard without departing from theprinciple of my invention. For instance, in some cases I may make slots,openings etc. in various parts of the guard to enable the steering postor other parts in different makes of cars to pass through. And in orderthat my said invention may be better understood I will proceed todescribe the same with reference to the drawing accompanying thisspecification, in which Figure 1 shows front elevation of a guardconstructed according to my invention; Fig. 2 shows side elevation;Figs. 3 to 6 show details hereinafter referred to. Fig. 7 shows aperspective view of one form of a guard constructed according to myinvention, in position.

The same letters of reference are employed to denote the same parts inall the views a, a show frames which maybe covered with patent leatheror other suitable material. These frames are connected at their lowerends to a tube or spindle b, which tube or spindle b is carried bybearings c, 0. These bearings may be of ordinary construction or theymay be constructed as shown at Figs. 3 and 4. In these figures the lowerportion 0 of the bearing has hinged to it a portion 0 which is providedwith a perforated lug (l.

e is a screw bolt pivoted to the lower portion 0 of the bearing andf isa fly nut which can be screwed on to the screw bolt 6 after the spindleor tube I) has been inserted in order to enable same to be easilyremoved when the guard is not required. I prefer to flatten out orenlarge the end of the screw bolt 6 after the fly nut f has been screwedthereon so that it cannot be again entirely screwed off in order thatthere may be no likelihood of losing same.

The ends of the frames a pass through the spindle or tube Z) and areattached to the said spindle or tube 1) by means of split pins g.

h is a lever which is shown in detail at Figs. 5 and 6. This lever hclamps around the spindle or tube 1) and when suitably ad.- justed isfixed in position by means of the clamping screw j. It will be seen thatthe said lever h can be adjusted on the spindle or tube 1) in such a waythat by pressing against, say, the floor or dashboard of the car, theframes on and consequently the guard are held at any required angle.

It will be understood that the guard may be used with an ordinary orspecial apron,

and in practice I find it convenient to attach the apron by means of aring fitted at the center near its top edge, in the manner of apronsused in dog carts, between the drivers and front passengers seats sothat the apron is not disturbed when either the driver or passengeralights except by one of the sides being turned back to permit of thedismounting, or in some cases I may provide an apron with a'hole throughwhich the steering post passes with a suitable flap, fastened by buttonsor the like, whichcan be opened to enable the steering post to be passedinto the hole, when the apron is adjusted in position.

It will be evident that the details of the construction may be modifiedin various ways without departing from the principle of the invention,for instance, the brackets carrying the spindle need not necessarily beat the extreme end of the spindle as they can be placed within the widthof the guard. Again the adjusting lever can be fitted in any positionalong the spindle Which may be found most convenient. In some cases theframe may be attached to the dashboard Letters Patent of the UnitedStates of Amer- The combination of curved guards for the pedals of anautomobile, supports for said guards, and an adjustable lever which maybe secured in different positions, for adjusting said guards backwardand forward with relation to the pedals, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

ARTHUR JOHN LAST.

WVitnesses:

A. E. VIDAL, LILY SIMONDs.

